Ordinary chocolate is composed primarily of fats or fatty substances, such as cocoa butter, in which there are dispersed non-fat products such as cocoa components, sugars, proteins, etc. Therefore, since chocolate is primarily constituted by fat bodies, its melting temperature is relatively low. This means that ordinary chocolate is not particularly resistent to summer temperatures or the heat of tropical countries. Therefore, a need exists for a chocolate which is resistant to relatively high ambient temperatures.
A variety of means have been utilized in the past to attempt to remedy the relatively low melting temperature of ordinary chocolate. For example, fats of higher melting temperature can be selected for incorporation into the chocolate.
However, this procedure can result in chocolate having an undesirable taste and/or texture.
Methods which disrupt the continuous chocolate fatty phase, thereby minimizing the influence of the melting point of the fat on the overall softening of the chocolate mass, have also been used.
Such disruption of the continuous chocolate fatty phase has been effected in the past by various means, including direct water addition to the chocolate. Unfortunately, chocolate manufactured by direct water addition exhibits inferior product quality due to a coarse, gritty texture.
Disruption of the continuous chocolate fatty phase has also been effected by including in the composition a variety of particles, often solid particles. These processes unfortunately often result in an undesirable rough texture, or mouth feel, in the chocolate.
Swiss Patent No. 410,607 concerns a chocolate composition which contains hydrophilic substances such as dextrose, maltose, inverted sugar, etc. When chocolate is made with such a composition, it is exposed to a moist atmosphere whereby it absorbs a certain quantity of water. This causes a relative increase in the volume occupied by the hydrophilic substances and was said to improve heat resistance.
Additionally, Swiss Patent Nos. 399,891 and 489,211, are directed to a method of incorporating amorphous sugars into a chocolate composition during manufacture. The sugars cause the formation in the mass of a lattice structure which prevents collapse of the mass when the temperature exceeds the melting point of the fat bodies used in its preparation.
Swiss Patent No. 409,603 involves the direct incorporation of water into a chocolate composition during its manufacture. The water however, which is about 5% relative to the composition, causes a rapid thickening of the mass at temperatures where normally the mass is still a liquid. Unfortunately, since the mass is no longer liquid, it is not possible to use the composition to cast chocolate into molds. Thus the composition must be ground and the obtained powder must be pressed into shape by compression molding.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,760,867 involves the incorporation of water into chocolate by the addition of an emulsifier such as lecithin.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,081,559 concerns the addition to chocolate of an amount of sugar such that when the quantity of water required to obtain heat-resistant chocolate is added, there is formed an aqueous sugar solution in which at least one edible fat of the chocolate is emulsified.
Swiss Patent No. 519,858 involves incorporating fat bodies into a chocolate composition in an encapsulated state.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,446,116 is directed to a composition used in the preparation of a heat-resistant chocolate article. However, the water-in-fat emulsion prepared in accordance with the teachings of this patent results in a product containing at least 20% of the fat in solid form, and the water-in-fat mixture used in accordance with this patent does not remain in liquid form during processing. Presence of such solid bodies results in an undesired rough texture or mouth feel.
Thus, the provision of a suitable method of making a heat-resistant or thermally robust chocolate, without substantially negatively effecting the taste, texture, mouth feel, appearance or other important characteristics of the chocolate, would be a valuable addition to the art.